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The essential oil from L. sidoides may be a promising source in the search for new antifungal drugs due to its efficacy and low toxicity.

Candida albicans is the most common human fungal pathogen, causing infections that range from mucous membranes to systemic infections. The present article provides an overview of C. albicans, with the production of biofilms produced by this fungus, as well as reporting the classes of antifungals used to fight such infections, together with the resistance mechanisms to these drugs. C. albicans is highly adaptable, enabling the transition from commensal to pathogen due to a repertoire of virulence factors. Specifically, the ability to change morphology and form biofilms is central to the pathogenesis of C. albicans. Indeed, most infections by this pathogen are associated with the formation of biofilms on surfaces of hosts or medical devices, causing high morbidity and mortality. Significantly, biofilms formed by C. albicans are inherently tolerant to antimicrobial therapy, so the susceptibility of C. albicans biofilms to current therapeutic agents remains low. Therefore, it is difficult to predict which molecules will emerge as new clinical antifungals. The biofilm formation of C. albicans has been causing impacts on susceptibility to antifungals, leading to resistance, which demonstrates the importance of research aimed at the prevention and control of these clinical microbial communities.

The chemical composition of essential oils from three species of plants belonging to the Eucalyptus genus was determined and, their insecticidal effects on egg, larva and adult phases of Lutzomyia longipalpis were assessed. The insects were collected in the municipality of Sobral in the State of Ceará, Brazil. Five treatments with different concentrations were performed along with two negative controls, distilled water and Tween 80 (3%), and a positive control, cypermethrin (0.196mg/ml). The tests were carried out in plastic pots internally coated with sterile plaster and filled with a substrate made of rabbit feces and crushed cassava leaves. The eggs, larvae and adults were sprayed with the oils. The hatched larvae were counted for 10 consecutive days and observed until pupation. Insect mortality was observed after 24, 48 and 72h. E. staigeriana oil was the most effective on all three phases of the insect, followed by E. citriodora and E. globulus oils, respectively. The major constituents of the oils were Z-citral and alpha-citral (E. staigeriana), citronellal (E. citriodora) and 1,8-cineole (E. globulus). The Eucalyptus essential oils constitute alternative natural products for the control of L. longipalpis since the median effective concentration (EC(50)) values revealed relevant action as compared with other natural products, some of their chemical constituents are already known for their insecticidal activity and these oils are produced in commercial scale in Brazil.

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RESUMO:Este trabalho apresenta um levantamento das plantas medicinais utilizadas pelos índios Tapebas do Ceará, na tentativa de resgatar a cultura descaracterizada ao longo dos anos. Os parâmetros considerados foram a freqüência de uso das plantas e suas indicações populares para determinadas doenças, baseando-se em entrevistas realizadas nas comunidades localizadas no município de Caucaia, situado a 16 Km de Fortaleza, capital do Ceará, em que foram mencionadas 63 plantas. Amostras das plantas foram coletadas e depositadas no Herbário Prisco Bezerra da Universidade Estadual do Ceará, onde foram identifi cadas. As plantas mais citadas foram agrupadas de acordo com seus dados químico, farmacológico e/ou toxicológico encontrados na literatura científi ca. A pesquisa mostra que a comunidade indígena dos Tapebas faz uso de muitas espécies vegetais sem dados químico e farmacológico registrados, bem como de outras que já foram alvo de pesquisa científi ca, mas que necessitam ainda de estudos complementares para garantir segurança para um uso geral e preparação de fi toterápicos.Unitermos: Plantas medicinais, índios, Tapebas, Ceará. ABSTRACT: "Ethno-medicinal plants of Tapeba Indians from the State of Ceará -Brazil".This work presents a survey of the medicinal plants used by Tapebas Indians from the state of Ceará -Brazil, trying to rescue their culture which is vanishing through the years. Several interviews were performed at the indian's community located at municipality of Caucaia, 16 Km away from Fortaleza, Capital city of the state of Ceará. A total of 63 plants were cited. The interviews were based on the frequency that the plants are used and their respective uses. Samples of the plants were collected and classifi ed by botanists of the Prisco Bezerra Herbarium of the Universidade Federal do Ceará. A literature survey was carried out with all known plants to obtain chemical, pharmacological and toxicological informations. The results show that the Tapebas use plants with no reported chemical and pharmacological informations and other plants which were already studied but need yet more studies to assure complete safety for a general use and production of phytoterapics.

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